Societal vulnerability to computer system failures

The world has become more dependent on computers which are active elements in bigger systems on which human lives depend - such as critical care units in hospitals, defense systems or air traffic control systems. Hence, the need to assure correct, reliable and safe operation has become more critical. With this need has come an increase in the attention paid to computer systems vulnerabilities and to societal vulnerability. While exports disagree over whether society is more vulnerable than resilient to failure of today's increasingly interconnected computer and communication systems, the consensus seems to be that, at the very least, the problem bears watching. This paper presents directions for exploring these problems further: a societal risk analysis, a focus on one or more critical computer systems, and the formation of interdisciplinary discussion forums.

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